Giant, squishy, octopus

I absolutely love Bernat Blanket Yarn, and the new brights are so beautiful, I wanted to make something with them. Since I was already having fun with my smaller octopus pattern, I decided a giant octopus would be perfect. My daughter wanted me to make her one too, so I got to play around with the pattern a bit and came up with these soft, squishy friends.

If you want a pattern that you can save on your computer and easily print, this pattern is available in my Ravelry shop for only $3.00. I love printing patterns and saving them in a binder to keep track of the ones I’ve done and the ones I still plan to do.

Abbreviations:

ch: chain

sc: single crochet

sl st: slip stitch

inc: increase (2 single crochets in one loop)

dec: decrease (pull yarn through loop, pull yarn through second loop, yarn over and pull through all loops)

If you tend to crochet with loose stitches, you may want to use a smaller crochet hook to reduce the amount of yarn that you use and tighten up your stitches.

As you crochet the octopus head, you’ll notice it doesn’t really look all that round. Once you stuff it with the poly-fil, it will round out. If it’s not as round as you’d like it to be, put more poly-fil in and force it into the places you want it to shape it. Stuffing it extra full will help form its shape, but it will also ensure that it keeps its shape after all of the hugging and squishing your octopus is sure to get.

This pattern is worked “in-the-round”, and stitches are worked through both loops unless otherwise noted. At the end of each row, I slip stitch then chain 1 and turn it, working the next row in the opposite direction. If you’d like, you can skip turning it and continue working in the same direction throughout the pattern.

Body:

ch 3. Sl st to first ch to create circle. (Instead, you can perform the “magic circle” if you’d like.)

Row 1: ch 1, 10 sc inside of circle. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 2: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next stitch , repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 3: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 2 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 4: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 3 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 5: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 4 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 6: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 5 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 7: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 6 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 8: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 7 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 9: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 8 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 10: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 9 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 11: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 10 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 12: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 11 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 13: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 12 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 14: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 13 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 15: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 14 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 16: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 15 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 17: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 16 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 18: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 17 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 19: *Inc in first stitch, sc in next 18 stitches, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc, ch 1, turn.

Stuff the body as full as you can, shaping it as you stuff. Position the eyes between rows 21 and 22 with a space of 13 sc’s between them. Center the mouth between the eyes, sewing it on 2 rows down. Continue stuffing the body as you go.

If there are any mistakes in this pattern, or something is unclear, please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know. Or message me on Facebook. If you create any octopus of your own, be sure to post a photo on my Facebook page so I can see.

Thanks so much for the pattern! You just saved my bacon, I’ve been trying to figure out what to start on for Christmas gifts (man, I love being a crafter, I start christmas in July!) and this is perfect for three of the babies.

Thank you so much for the pattern. I need instructions for the Kindergarten Crocheter….so sorry, I am still pretty new. I am trying to figure out the increase and decrease rows. Would you be able to expand a little as in how many stitches should there be at the end of each row.

I love, love, love these! Thank you so much! I am working on the large octopus right now. I also love this yarn.
I have one question to ask, could this be done in the round instead of slst, ch1, then turn? I like to crochet in the round if possible. Was just wondering if there is a reason this would not work.
I am also crocheting the Crochet Crowd’s shark snuggle sack so I was super excited to see your shark pillow to go with the sack!
Again thanks!

So I an in the middle of making this one, have already made a small one…but i have noticed that even though Im using a smaller hook (a K) to bring my stitching in a little, I have already gone through 2 skeins on the yarn and I have only just finished row 26…. Not sure if I am doing something wrong or what is going on with this….any advice?

It’s hard to say what causes a person to use more or less yarn than another person does. I tend to crochet very tight stitches, but some people crochet them very loose. Going down a hook size was good, but without actually seeing and feeling your work, I can’t be sure if it’s just because your stitches are loose, or if there’s something wrong. If you get finished and stuff it, and it looks fine, then it’s probably just that your stitches are looser than mine. Remember, though, you have to stuff it really full and push the stuffing around to get the shape the way that you want it. If you’re on Facebook, post a photo on my wall when you finish.

You probably could. I’ve never used sand, but I’ve added uncooked rice into a stuffy before for weight. My suggestion, if you want to add weight, would be to use sand, uncooked rice, or pellets (you can find pellets in most craft stores by the poly-fil), and put it inside of a stocking (nylons), tie it at the top and insert it right in the middle of the poly-fil so that you can’t feel it from the outside.

I have made one in Harvest with Black/Harvest feet. It is absolutely adorable!! It will be a Christmas present for a great grandson. I am now making a smaller one for a granddaughter. There are 3 girls in that family, and they will all receive one. (The only reason I’m doing the smaller one for them is that they have to be mailed from Wisconsin to Portland, Oregon. The shipping would have broken me!!) I am a 70 year old great grandma!! Thanks for the patterns!!

You work it into the joined stitch, and when you join it you join into that first stitch, not into the ch 1. You really don’t have to even turn it if you don’t want to. You can just keep crocheting around. I just like turning it because it helps me keep track of my stitches better.

This pattern is adorable. I am right handed and had no problem. I used almost to the very last of the main color but have lots of the foot color left for another octopus. I’m so in love and everyone wants one now. I added a flower to my first one to make it more girly and my daughter wants one with a mustache and a top hat. Thank you for the pattern.

For anyone that got this to come out other than looking like the Coneheads from Saturday Night Live, any advice would be appreciated. I’m fairly new and have only done blankets EVER, so I’ve made several attempts at this and no amount of stuffing makes it look anything like even a semi-round character. Maybe even a hint at how many stitches are in each row?

Hello, this pattern is awesome thank you so much I’m getting started on it today! I just have a question, if I start with a magic circle, should I chain 10 in the magic circle..? I didn’t get the first step (I’m still quite new at crocheting..). I’m not sure what you meant by “sc 10 in the cercle”. thanks a lot!!